NEW YORK (September 23, 2013) – The Women’s Major Group (WMG) and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) New York Office are pleased to report on the successful conclusion of the side event “Strengthening Gender Justice and Human Rights to Achieve Sustainable Development,” which coincided with the Opening of the 68th General Assembly, with co-sponsorship by the Government of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, UN Women and the Permanent Mission of Norway.
Held on Thursday, September 19th, from 3 pm to 6 pm at the United Nations Trusteeship Council Chamber, the event drew a packed house of States representatives Including from the Pacific, Africa, Asia, LAC and Europe as well as UN Agency and CSO representatives.
The video has been archived on UN Web TV. The direct link is: http://webtv.un.org/watch/strengthening-gender-justice-and-human-rights-to-achieve-sustainable-development/2682430239001/
The event was chaired by H.E. Sofia Borges, Ambassador and Permanent Representative, Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste to the UN and H.E. Tine Mørch Smith, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of Norway to the UN.
Introductory speakers from the WMG, FES-NY, Government of Timor-Leste, UN Women and the Permanent Mission of Norway framed the event.
They included:
Lakshmi Puri (Assistant Secretary General and Deputy Executive Director, UN Women),
Michele Auga (Executive Director, FES-NY)
Noelene Nabulivou (Executive Committee Member, DAWN, Fiji. Representative of WMG Organising Partner- South).
They set the stage for speakers from the Global South who shared analysis and key recommendations for the Post 2015 sustainable development agenda.
The WMG speakers making these key interventions for shaping the SDG and the Post-2015 Development agenda priorities were:
Vivienne Solis, CoopeSolidar, Costa Rica
Azra Sayeed, Roots, Pakistan
Sascha Gabizon, WECF, Germany (WMG Organising Partner, North)
Caroline Usikpedo-Omoniye, Niger Delta Movement, Nigeria
Marisa Viana, RESURJ, Mexico
Bhumika Muchhala, TWN, Indonesia/NY
These reflections were culled from their writings in the WMG compilation document, “Gender Equality, Women’s Rights and Women’s Priorities: Recommendations for the Proposed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Post- 2015 Development Agenda”, which was launched at the event. Also launched were two other summary publications for use in the SDGs and Post 2015 Development Agenda processes including an 8-page synthesis for policy makers by WMG and FES-NY.
See publications here: http://www.womenrio20.org/policy_statements.php
The full 13 chapters are currently in English, French and Spanish; the WMG-FES 8 pager of summary recommendations are in English (Others to come), while the 2 pager summary brief is in the 5 UN languages.
These publications highlight women’s perspectives on sustainable development themes such as gender equality, food sovereignty, decent work, sustainable energy, and climate change. They provide detailed analyses and recommendations on the structure, characteristics and governance of the SDGs, the sustainability of livelihoods, the rights of nature and the use of technology, the right to health and the full access and attainment of sexual and reproductive health and rights, and the transformation towards a sustainable economic system.
